Curtain structural form and curtain structural form having pleats

ABSTRACT

A curtain structure comprising  
     (1) clips each of which has a U-letter-shaped connection section, a reversed U-letter-shaped connection section and a rectangular-shaped engagement section which are consecutively formed so as to be present on one surface from a base portion toward to a portion formed to grip a suspension ring of a curtain liner, and  
     (2) a tape-member being positioned in an upper edge portion of a curtain and having bag-shaped supports in which the rectangular-shaped engagement sections of said clips can be inserted from a lower side, the bag-shaped supports being integrated with the tape member by combined weaving,  
     (3) the above clips are inserted in the tape member, the tape member being sewn together with a curtain member, and a pleatable curtain structure wherein each combination of adjacent two clips forming each pair in an upper edge portion of tape member of the curtain have an inter-distance sufficient for forming a pleat when the two clips are attached to the tape member and suspended from one suspension ring of a curtain liner.  
     According to the present invention, there is provided a curtain structure that permits simple attachment of the clips, is free of hindrance of the clips attached therein in the operation of cleaning and has great strength.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a curtain structure in which a clip for allowing a curtain to suspend from a suspension ring of a curtain liner has a specific form and is attached to the curtain by a specific means. More specifically, it relates to a curtain structure in which a specifically formed clip is attached to a curtain in parallel with the curtain above a curtain surface and in a non-upright manner. Further, the present invention relates to a pleatable curtain structure.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] When a clip is attached to a curtain, conventionally, there is employed a method in which an upper marginal portion of the curtain is partly self-overlapped and sewn together to form a pleat portion first, and an upright section of a clip is inserted into the joint of the pleat portion from below. In the method of attaching a clip according to the above method, however, the gripping section of the clip formed to engage with a suspension ring of a curtain liner is brought into a state where the gripping section stands upright and projects from a curtain surface. The above curtain is cleaned in a state where the curtain is with such clips attached thereto, the clips hinders and causes various difficulties. Before cleaning, therefore, it is conventional practice to remove the clips from a curtain, which is very troublesome. Particularly, when a large volume of curtains like curtains to lease is cleaned at once, it is impossible to dry the curtains having the clips attached thereto, with a so-called heat roll, and the efficiency of work is caused to decrease. In the above attachment structure, further, the clip comes in point-contact with a seam of the above pleat-forming portion, so that the weight of the curtain is exerted collectively on the above seam. There are therefore drawbacks that the seam is easily opened and that the attachment portion is destroyed before long.

[0005] For overcoming the above drawbacks, JP-A-57-188215 proposes a method of attaching a clip, in which the clip does not stand upright from the curtain surface but comes into a state parallel therewith, and the lower portion of the clip removed from suspension rings of a curtain liner is embedded in a curtain surface, so that the clip does not hinder during cleaning.

[0006] In the above known method, an engagement section of the clip has a relatively small U-letter form and is engaged with a margin of a cylindrical support of a tape by sewing, so that the clip is sometimes broken and comes off when an excess load is exerted on a curtain.

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a curtain structure in which a clip having a specific form is attached to a curtain member with a specific means such that the clip does not hinder when the curtain with the clip attached thereto is cleaned in a laundry and that the clip does not come off under an excess load.

MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS

[0008] According to the present invention, the object of the present invention is to provide a curtain structure having a curtain clip and its attachment structure, which are characterized by the following (1) to (4);

[0009] (1) clips each of which has a U-letter-shaped connection section, a reversed U-letter-shaped connection section and a rectangular-shaped engagement section which are consecutively formed so as to be present on one surface from a base portion toward to a portion formed to grip a suspension ring of a curtain liner,

[0010] (2) a tape member being positioned in an upper edge portion of a curtain and having bag-shaped supports in which the rectangular-shaped engagement sections of said clips can be inserted from a lower side, the bag-shaped supports being integrated with the tape member by combined weaving,

[0011] (3) the clips being engaged with the bag-shaped supports of the tape member in a state where rectangular-shaped engagement sections of the clips are inserted into the bag-shaped supports from a lower portion and the top of gripping portion of each clip face downward, and

[0012] (4) the tape member of the curtain being folded so as to cover the bag-shaped supports with which the rectangular-shaped engagement sections are engaged and so as to expose ordinary gripping portions of the U-letter-shaped connection sections of the clips, upper portions of folded portions being sewn together, lower portions of the folded portions being sewn together.

[0013] According to the curtain structure of the present invention, the clips that are attached to a curtain do not cause any hindrance in the steps of washing for cleaning, drying with a heat roll and pressing. Since the clips are firmly inserted in the bag-shaped supports integrated with the tape member by combined weaving, the clips are fixed in parallel with the tape member, and further, even when a strong load is exerted on the curtain, the clips has strength sufficient for withstanding such a load. Further, the curtain structure of the present invention has simplicity; the clips can be attached to the tape member by the simple operation of inserting the clips into the bag-shaped supports of the tape member.

[0014] Further, the present inventor has continued studies for means of easily forming a pleat in a curtain when the above curtain structure of the present invention is attached to a curtain liner, and there can be accordingly provided the following pleated curtain structure.

[0015] According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a curtain structure that is the above curtain structure and that has a pleat, in which adjacent each combination of two clips forming each pair in an upper edge portion of tape member of the curtain have an inter-distance sufficient for forming a pleat when the two clips are attached to the tape member and suspended from one suspension ring of a curtain liner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a tape member in an upper edge portion a curtain in the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 2 shows an enlarged front view of one example of a clip in the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a cross section taken along A-A in the tape member in FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 4 shows a front view of the tape member in a state where clips are inserted into bag-shaped support portions of the tape member from a lower side and engaged therein.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a front view of a tape member in a state where the tape member is folded such that an ordinary gripping portion of U-letter-shaped connection portion of a clip is exposed. Dotted lines 8 show sites where folded portions are sewn together.

[0021]FIG. 6A shows a front view of a tape member in a state where a pair of adjacent clips for a pleated curtain structure are attached to a tape member.

[0022]FIG. 6B shows a front view of a tape member in a state where the tape member shown in FIG. 6A is folded. In FIG. 6B, gripping portions of a pair of the clips face outwardly opposite to each other.

[0023]FIG. 6C is a top view of a curtain structure in which a pair of clips are allowed to grip one suspension ring of a curtain liner.

[0024]FIG. 7A shows a front view of a tape member in a state where a pair of adjacent clips for a pleated curtain structure are attached to a tape member.

[0025]FIG. 7B shows a front view of a tape member in a state where the tape member shown in FIG. 7A is folded. In FIG. 7B, gripping portions of a pair of the clips face each other inwardly.

[0026]FIG. 7C is a top view of a curtain structure in which a pair of clips are allowed to grip one suspension ring of a curtain liner.

EXPLANATIONS OF SYMBOLS

[0027]1 Tape member

[0028]2 Fold line

[0029]3 Fold line

[0030]4 Bag-shaped support

[0031]4 a Clip insertion slot

[0032]5 Clip

[0033]5 a U-letter-shaped connection section of clip

[0034]5 b Reversed U-letter-shaped connection section of clip

[0035]5 c Rectangular-shaped engagement section of clip

[0036]6 Combined weave portion of tape member

[0037]7 Folding (folded) portion

[0038]8 Sites that are sewn together

[0039]9 Curtain

[0040]10 Pleat

[0041]11 Suspension ring of curtain liner

[0042] The curtain structure of the present invention will be more specifically explained hereinafter with reference to drawings.

[0043]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a tape member 1 in an upper edge portion of a curtain. The tape member has a bag-shaped support 4 formed by combined weaving. The bag-shaped support has an insertion slot 4 a through which a clip can be inserted from a lower side and is generally in the form of a rectangular cylinder. The bag-shaped support 4 is woven to combine it with the tape member and has a form that permits firm insertion of the rectangular-shaped engagement section of a clip. Therefore, the bag-shaped support makes it easy to attach a clip thereto, and serves to maintain the tape member 1 in a flat state after the clip is attached, and it can also stand a load of an excess weight.

[0044] The tape member is preferably constituted of a synthetic fiber such as a polyester fiber or a nylon fiber, and a polyester fiber is particularly preferred.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the clip in the present invention has a structure in which a U-letter-shaped connection section 5 a, a reversed U-letter-shaped connection section 5 b and a rectangular-shaped engagement section 5 c are consecutively provided so as to be present on one surface from a lower portion side of a section for gripping a suspension ring of a curtain liner. While the clip 5 may be formed of a plastic, it is preferably formed of a metal in view of strength, easiness in production and a cost.

[0046] The clip 5 in the present invention has a characteristic feature in that the engagement section 5 c has the shape of rectangular (one-side free rectangular such as the shape of

). Due to the rectangular shape, the clip 5 can be firmly fixed to the tape member so that it forms a flat surface and it is no longer stands upright from the tape member. Desirably, the rectangular-shaped portion has an area that is approximately 50% of the area which the entire clip occupies. Further, the rectangular-shaped portion preferably has a vertical portion:horizontal portion length ratio of 2:1. Further, the top portion of U-letter-shaped connection section 5 a of the clip 5 preferably has a round head portion, which is preferred for smoothly carrying out operations when the curtain is cleaned or the clip is hung on the suspension ring of a curtain liner.

[0047] The rectangular-shaped engagement section 5 c of the clip 5 is inserted into the bag-shaped support 4 of the tape member, so it is advantageous to bring the sizes and forms of the rectangular form and the bag-shaped support into agreement such that these two members have almost no freedom degree when the rectangular-shaped engagement section 5 c is inserted into the bag-shaped support.

[0048]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of A-A cross section in the bag-shaped support 4 of the tape member 1 shown in FIG. 1. A lower portion 4 a of the bag-shaped support 4 is an insertion slot of a chip. A circumferential portion of the bag-shaped support has an integrated structure formed by combined weaving with the tape member 1 except for the insertion slot 4 a.

[0049]FIG. 4 shows a state where the clip 5 is inserted into the bag-shaped support 4 of the tape member 1. Generally, the clips 5 are inserted into the bag-shaped supports 4 of the tape member 1 such that the U-letter-shaped connection sections of the clips 5 face in the same direction as shown in FIG. 4, although such is not necessarily required.

[0050]FIG. 5 shows a state where the clips 5 are inserted into the bag-shaped supports 4 of the tape member 1, the tape member is folded, and the upper margin and the lower margin of the tape member are respectively sewn together with the tape member 1 each. In FIGS. 1 and 4, fold lines of the tape member 1 are indicated by numerals 2 and 3. It is because the folded line is changed in position depending upon the direction in which the clip 5 is attached that the folded lines 2 are shown in two places one each in positions left and right to the bag-shaped support in FIG. 1.

[0051] When the tape member 1 is folded as shown in FIG. 5, the tape member 1 in FIG. 4 can be folded such that the fold line 3 faces inward and the fold line 2 faces outward.

[0052] When the tape member 1 is folded as shown in FIG. 5, preferably, the fold line 2 is positioned nearly in the center of the U-letter-shaped portion such that the ordinary gripping portion of the U-letter-shaped connection section of the clip 5 is exposed. Numerals 8 indicate sewing portions in the upper and lower margins of the folded tape member.

[0053] The sewing portions 8 in FIG. 5 are also portions where the folded portion of the tape member 1 is sewn together with the tape member 1, and they also indicate portions where the tape member 1 and a curtain member are sewn together.

[0054] An embodiment for forming pleats (puckers) in the above curtain structure of the present invention will be explained below.

[0055] The pleated curtain structure of the present invention has characteristic features in the form of the clip, the structure in which the clip is attached to the tape member and the form in which a pair of the clips for forming a pleat are attached to the tape member. Further, the pleated curtain structure also has a characteristic feature in means of inserting clips into suspension rings of a curtain liner so that many pleats are formed when the curtain structure is attached to the curtain liner. These characteristic features of the present invention will be explained below with reference to drawings.

[0056]FIG. 6A shows a front view of the tape member 1, etc., in which pairs of adjacent clips are attached to the tape member 1 in a pleated curtain structure. Two clips 5 on the left hand side in FIG. 6A show a pair of the clips. These two clips are inserted into the bag-shaped supports 4 of the tape member 1 one each such that the gripping portion (U-letter-shaped connection section 5 a) of one of the clips faces opposite to the gripping portion of the other, and the tape member 1 is folded such that the gripping portions of the U-letter-shaped connection sections of the clips 5 are exposed as shown in FIG. 6B. Pairs of the clips are attached to the tape member so as to form many pairs as shown in FIG. 6B (FIG. 6B shows two pairs). While the tape member and the curtain member are sewn together, showing the curtain member is omitted in FIG. 6B. FIG. 6C schematically shows a top view of the curtain structure in which the curtain structure is attached to suspension rings of a curtain liner. In FIG. 6C, a pair of the clips are suspended with one suspension ring 11 of a curtain liner to form a pleat 10 in a curtain. Paris of such clips are attached to a tape member at intervals of a nearly constant distance so as to form many pleats 10. While the distance between two clips forming a pair is determined depending upon the height of a pleat (pucker) 10, the above distance is desirably set such that the pleat (pucker) is generally 20 to 70 mm high, preferably 25 to 60 mm high. The distance between two clips forming a pair is therefore approximately twice as large as the desired height of the pleat.

[0057]FIG. 7A is a front view of a tape member, etc., in a state where clips of a pleated curtain structure are attached to the tape member nearly like the showing of FIG. 6. FIG. 7B shows a front view of the tape member, etc., in a state where the tape member shown in FIG. 7A is folded. FIG. 7C shows a top view of the curtain structure that is in the state of a suspension from a curtain liner. The curtain structure in FIG. 7 differs from that in FIG. 6 in that the gripping portions of clips forming a pair face each other inwardly. The directions of the gripping portions of a pair of the clips, facing opposite to each other (FIG. 6) or facing each other (FIG. 7), do not cause any essential difference in the formation of the pleat.

[0058] The curtain structure of the present invention has the following advantages and effects.

[0059] (1) Owing to a combination of the structure of the clip with the structure of the tape member in which they are inserted, attaching the clips is simple and the curtain structure can withstand a load on the curtain member.

[0060] (2) Pleats can be easily formed in the curtain by attaching the curtain structure to a curtain liner, and the curtain structure can be simply attached and detached.

[0061] (3) The clips do not cause any hindrance in a cleaning operation (washing, drying and pressing), and the pleated portions are spread, so that the curtain structure can be dried and pressed with a heat roll.

[0062] (4) When the curtain structure is used, the pleats are formed, so that the curtain provides an excellent aesthetic sense, design and high-class sense. 

1. A curtain structure comprising; (1) clips each of which has a U-letter-shaped connection section, a reversed U-letter-shaped connection section and a rectangular-shaped engagement section which are consecutively formed so as to be present on one surface from a base portion toward to a portion formed to grip a suspension ring of a curtain liner, and (2) a tape member being positioned in an upper edge portion of a curtain and having bag-shaped supports in which the rectangular-shaped engagement sections of said clips can be inserted from a lower side, the bag-shaped supports being integrated with the tape member by combined weaving, (3) the clips being engaged with the bag-shaped supports in a state where rectangular-shaped engagement sections of the clips are inserted into the bag-shaped supports from a lower portion and the top of gripping portion of each clip face downward, (4) the tape member of the curtain being folded so as to cover the bag-shaped supports with which the rectangular-shaped engagement sections are engaged and so as to expose ordinary gripping portions of the U-letter-shaped connection sections of the clips, upper portions of folded portions being sewn together, lower portions of the folded portions being sewn together.
 2. The curtain structure of claim 1, wherein the clips are made of a metal.
 3. The curtain structure of claim 1, wherein the tape member is formed of a polyester fiber.
 4. The curtain structure of claim 1, which is a pleatable curtain structure wherein each combination of adjacent two clips forming each pair in an upper edge portion of tape member of the curtain have an inter-distance sufficient for forming a pleat when the two clips are attached to the tape member and suspended from one suspension ring of a curtain liner.
 5. The pleatable curtain structure of claim 4, wherein gripping portions of attached adjacent clips forming a pair are positioned to face opposite to each other in the tape member.
 6. The pleatable curtain structure of claim 4, wherein gripping portions of attached adjacent clips forming a pair are positioned to face each other in the tape member.
 7. The pleatable curtain structure of claim 4, wherein the curtain in a state where the curtain structure is attached to the curtain liner has many pleats formed at constant intervals.
 8. The pleatable curtain of claim 4, wherein the curtain in a state where the curtain structure is detached from the curtain liner is in a state where the pleats are spread and removed.
 9. The pleatable curtain structure of claim 4, wherein the clips are attached and each pair of the clips has a clip-clip distance such that each pleat has a height of 20 to 70 mm.
 10. A method of attaching a pleatable curtain structure, comprising attaching the curtain structure recited in claim 4 to a curtain liner in a manner that the attached adjacent clips forming a pair of the curtain structure are suspended from one suspension ring of a curtain liner. 